Plakovo monastery is located in the northern part of Balkan highs near Elena town near Plakovo village, approximately 14 km from Veliko Tarnovo.
Plakovo monastery St Prophet Ilijah was established during the reign of Tzar Ivan Asen II and initially it was located several kilometres away from today’s location, where you can still visit a small old church. Today’s location f the monastery dates back to the second half of the 13th c., and as many other monasteries in the vicinity around Veliko Tarnovo, it was destroyed during the Ottoman slavery period
In 1450 Plakovo Monastery was renewed and consequently ravaged and burned many times.
The reconstruction of Plakovo monastery started in 1845 at the time of senior monk Sofroniy. The old church was demolished and its place was taken by today’s monastery St prophet Iijah. The name of the builder remains unknown, however, it is assumed that it was built by Usta Kolyu Ficheto, who later in 1856 constructed the residential area together with the bell tower. All larger constructions during that period were carried out by Kolyu Ficheto. At that time the monks dug a secret exit to the woods, later a similar secret way was dug from the cook-house. These underground paths were used by Vasil Levski.